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Power of the Purse

Power of the Purse

Posted by on Apr 11, 2018

This week a hometown friend invited me to the Tenth Anniversary celebration and fundraiser for Power of the Purse, which features a purse auction to benefit the Laura W. Bush Institute for Women’s Health. Over 1,000 women attended to hear former first lady, Mrs. Laura Bush, talk about the efforts they have made in raising awareness about women’s health issues. Ten years ago, representatives from Texas Tech University Health Science Center in Amarillo, Texas traveled to Washington D.C. with a plan for an institution that would be dedicated to “improving the lives of women and girls in Texas and across the nation by advancing multidisciplinary science in women’s health”. Programs that began in Amarillo, Lubbock and San Angelo have now spread across the state to Midland, Corpus Christi, Dallas and Fort Worth, as well as making efforts to educate and bring awareness to health issues for women throughout the world. Mrs. Bush entertained us with an update about her family. She spoke some about the Wounded Warriors Project, and assured us that she and President Bush continue their commitment to helping those who have served our country. For several years, the Warrior 100K mountain bike race was held right here in the Texas Panhandle, at Palo Duro Canyon State Park. That event will now take place at...

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Checking Cows

Checking Cows

Posted by on Mar 23, 2018

Checking Cows After moving eight miles from town and down the road from my in-laws, I wondered at my father-in-law’s compulsion to drive through his cattle every single day, sometimes twice. My husband did the same. We drove through the steers he fed out on leased grass most every day until the fall when they were taken to the sale barn. Watching the herd graze under an endless blue sky from our new front porch was enjoyable, but nothing special. It’s not like you could actually pet a cow or form a bond like you can with other kinds of pets. On occasion, my father-in-law included my sons in his craziness by stopping on his four-wheeler and taking them along. They eagerly watched for him at the end of the drive, absolute joy sparkling in their eyes as they waved to me from the seat beside him. One morning I observed the task of ‘checking the cows’ in a whole new light. My mother-in-law was admitted for a heart procedure. While my husband joined his family at the hospital, the checking of the cattle fell to me and my oldest son. It was early spring and our instructions were simple; count the pairs of momma cows and calves, making certain no one was missing....

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Cowboy Gear: BOOTS

Cowboy Gear: BOOTS

Posted by on Mar 9, 2018

Cowboy boots, high-heeled boots, custom-mades, short tops were pee-wees. The early version of boots seen in the West did not always have high-heels, which has become synonymous with the American cowboy style. Early over-the-counter boots were plain with a lower heel and cost around $15.00. Cowboys began to wear higher heels which provided leverage, pointed toes could slip in and out of stirrups easier, 17-inch high tops protected legs and had pull-straps called “mule-ears”. It wasn’t until 1885 that...

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Gamers & Their Parents

Gamers & Their Parents

Posted by on Mar 2, 2018

Gamers & Their Parents: Are We Raising Violent Youth? Is our youth more violent today because of video games?  Every time we experience a horrific incident involving America’s youth, the group of computer geeks labeled “gamers” are usually mentioned in the backlash. As a mom of one precious heavenly boy and two earthly young men, my heart aches for those parents who have lost children in these senseless acts done by mentally unstable people. These murderers are not representative...

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